Lilies

Whitewavemark2, then you'd love the colourful Christmas beetles in Oz. You can hear them hitting things as they land.

I love lily beetles they are beautiful and haven’t the heart to kill them, so I pick them off and troop off up our service road with them before releasing them about a quarter of a mile away, probably some fine their way back but it is largely a successful strategy.

I know the thought of their larvae is yucky but we are talking natural world here?

That’ll be it, then Namsnanny; thankyou.??

There was a section on Friday's Gardeners' World about lily beetles. Picking them off seems best. Apparently they can smell lilies and then alert other beetles where they are. Aren't they red for danger so predators avoid them. I hate the larvae wrapped in their own excrement!

Greyduster…...I think I'm right in saying
'oriental'=scented and 'asiatic'=bright colour!

I have replaced all my lilies this year and a couple of pots of the new Asiatics are just coming into bloom but they don’t seem to have that wonderful heady scent that the previous ones had. The hemerocallis are doing well though. I read somewhere that you can eat them, so we shalln’t starve,eh? ! Lots of lily beetles, here, too. Bleddy things!

I just picked the beetles off too Namsnanny - there weren’t too many - about 4 a few weeks ago.

Actually I haven't seen any lily beetle this year?

They look lovely. Mine are still in bud. I don't know why they are so late this year. I leave the lily beetle alone and rub off the eggs. Ick!

Mine have just ' gone over'.

I have attempted to grow Calla Lillies but I have given up. No idea what I do wrong but maybe I over water them.

Lovely!!
Scent is gorgeous but gives me a headache nowadays!

Any advice on lily beetle?
I just watch for it then pick off!

Lovely flowers but I too can’t bear the smell.

J52 - yes, aware of lily beetles - they caught me unawares a couple of years ago - now I’m on their case as soon as I spy them! Odd they’re so brightly coloured - not great camouflage!

With the cool damp weather we've been having, our lilies haven't done so well. Some of the buds have gone mouldy, so no flowers. Others are only just in bud and quite late flowering. Disappointing really.

I often buy Aldi' s beautiful Stargazer lilies and love their scent. Was disappointed when I mistakenly bought the 'wrong' ones.
As they opened they were far brighter in colour and had no scent.
Asiatic or oriental? Must check again as one has colour while the other has scent!
Next year I ''ll try growing some in pots.

I love lilies but can't have them in the house because their strong scent gives me awful headaches.

Great in the garden though.

They’re lovely. Mine are just coming into bloom. Watch out for red lily beetle, they devastate the plant.

Absolutely beautiful. Their scent wafts all around the home when you have the cut ones. I have to snip the centres as soon as I buy them because of the cats.
To see them in gardens is a lovely sight. Gorgeous.